Villa's Sorensen attracting Derby

Aston Villa's out-of-favour goalkeeper, Thomas Sorensen, is being pursued by Derby County just days after he revealed that he would be prepared to leave Villa Park for the "right offer from the right club."

Aston Villa's out-of-favour goalkeeper, Thomas Sorensen, is being pursued by Derby County just days after he revealed that he would be prepared to leave Villa Park for the "right offer from the right club."

Rams boss Paul Jewell is understood to be ready to throw 31-year-old Sorensen a lifeline in this month's January transfer market after the Denmark international admitted he would be prepared to leave Villa if it meant he could get playing again.

The new Derby manager is without injured first-choice Stephen Bywater and is understood to be reluctant to rely on youngster Lewis Price, who has been filling in between the posts.

Jewell knows he needs a decent and fully experienced goalkeeper to help his club plug their defensive frailties as they battle for their Premier League survival.

Sorensen said that, much as he loved being at Aston Villa and was happy at the club, he needed to be playing again having slipped down the pecking order with Martin O'Neill favouring Liverpool loan player Scott Carson as his regular goalkeeper with Stuart Taylor on the bench.

Sorensen said: "There have been inquiries but I don't think there has been anything specific. I don't think anything has gone through the club but, as much as I like Aston Villa, I need to be playing and that's the key for me.

How it is going to be done? We will see what happens.

"Will I be moving this month? It depends what happens. It depends what the manager wants as well because, at the end of the day, he has got the last say. But he also knows that I have got ambitions and I'm not happy being left out."

The Denmark No 1 added: "I know my agent is speaking to him (O'Neill), probably in the next couple of days and then we will see what kind of solution we can come up with and then I'll take it from there."

Sorensen, who joined Villa in 2003 from Sunderland under then-manager David O'Leary, said he would be prepared to consider a loan or permanent move as long as he was playing regularly.

He said: "I've said all along that the main thing is playing football. Whether it is a permanent move or a loan, the main thing is playing. When you are playing and are suddenly left out, it is not satisfying but I have been working hard."

Sorensen has not played a Barclays Premier League game for Villa this season since the arrival at the club of Scott Carson from Anfield, the Dane picking up an injury while Villa were in the United States on their pre-season tour.

He said: "I am in my prime. I've been feeling very good in training and playing well with the national team. That is the frustrating part of it. It is not like I've been going downhill in terms of my ability."